Summoned to Labor
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Key Verse: “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” Selected Scripture: |
EARLIER IN HIS MINISTRY, the Lord had sent forth his twelve disciples to herald his presence to Israel, as well as the nearness of God’s kingdom.
Our Key Verse relates to Christ’s commission to seventy other men to do an evangelistic work among the Jews who, as a nation, had been especially selected by God to be an instrument for blessing all the families of mankind.—Num. 11:16; Luke 10:1
It is evident that the Lord did not expect the seventy to find receptive hearts to their message among the majority of the Israelites, for he stated, “Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” (Luke 10:3) Those whom the Lord appointed for this missionary service were willing to obey his instructions and to carry them out in the prescribed manner. “Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.” (vs. 4) The fact that these sent forth ones were not to concern themselves with monetary needs, or other matters relative to wearing apparel, would be a test of their faith in the Lord’s ability to overrule in their affairs as pertaining to temporal necessities.
The proper spirit to be manifested by these seventy ambassadors was also articulated by the Master. “Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.” (vss. 5,6) If granted a cordial reception, the servants of the Lord would bestow blessings upon such homes. (vss. 7-9) After fulfilling the terms of their commission, the disciples rejoiced in having had the great privilege of serving the Lord’s cause by sharing the good news with all who had a hearing ear.—vs. 17
Just as the seventy labored at a time when the Jewish Age was ending and before the Christian era was to begin, today there is a harvest work now being completed before the Millennial Age of blessing is inaugurated by our returned Lord and his church who will reign with him in glory.—Rev. 3:21
As preparation to be a part of this elect class who will be associated with Jesus Christ in the work of reconciling mankind back to God, believers will faithfully proclaim the onset of the soon-to-be-established righteous government that will prove to be a utopia for all mankind who have been suffering since the fall of the first human pair back in Eden. “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”—Isa. 61:1-3
Those who are presently engaged in promoting this message to others in person, through printed literature and by the technological advances that presently exist, will, like the seventy at the time of the Lord’s First Advent, experience a sense of profound joy in such labors. What a privilege is ours to be living now and declaring the soon-to-be-fulfilled promise for which the Master taught us to pray—“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”—Matt. 6:10